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Learn how to cut mango with our easy cooking tutorial. We will show you the best way to pick and chop it for smoothie bowls, fruit salads or desserts.
If you want Instagram-worthy diced mango that’s perfect for smoothie bowls, fruit cups, desserts, or anything you could possibly crave, then follow our directions! However, there’s usually a lot of effort involved behind getting one or two decent-looking cubes for all your treats. If the mango is unripe, then it’s pretty much impossible. If it’s too ripe, then any type of squishing often results in a large mush. Since you’re reading this, we’re assuming you know just how tricky properly cutting a mango can be though. That ends today. Learn how to cut a mango the right way so you never spend more than a minute on it. Let’s get started!
Mango’s uniquely sweet and tart flavor adds a delicious tropical twist to anything you add it to! How does a mango smoothie sound for breakfast?
How to Pick a Good Mango
Before we go any further, you need to make sure you’re trying to cut a ripe mango. Otherwise you may as well give up now— or at least give up on the beautiful picture-perfect dicing I was telling you about earlier. Similar to peaches, pressing down on a mango should yield a little when it’s ripe. If it doesn’t, it may need another day or more to fully ripen.
The Tommy Atkins mango is the most widely available variety in the U.S. and it fades in color beautifully. Beginning in green, it then fades into yellow and pink or orange as it ripens. Keep an eye out for this the next time you hit the supermarket! However, if you only see green or yellow mangos, make sure to ask what varieties they are because they might not be Tommy Atkins. Nonetheless, these other varieties follow the same picking strategy. If it yields slightly, it’s ready!
How to Cut Mango
Start off by washing the mango. It doesn’t matter if it’s organic or if the packaging says it’s been washed. Always wash your produce at home. From there, place the smaller, narrow end facing upward or downward. The mango should be standing up now.
Then, use a sharp knife to slice downward, cutting as near to the pit as possible. Repeat on the other end.
You should now have three chunks of mango, the two sides and the center containing the pit. Hold the latter upward so it’s standing on its skin and the lovely yellow pulp is facing the sides. Use one hand to secure the slice in place as you carefully cut the two small sides downwards from the top, as close to the pit as possible. Repeat this for the other side. The pit should barely have any pulp holding on to it now. Discard it. In total, you should have 4 mango chunks. The two sides and the two pieces you cut from the pit.
The next step is to grab the two sides and score the pulp with a sharp knife. Do not cut through the mango skin. Score it using a crosswise pattern. Then, use your fingers to hold on to opposite ends of the mango and gently try to invert it by folding it outward slightly. Once you do that, the mango cubes should be sticking out.
The two chunks you cut from the pit can be easily sliced off or enjoyed as a snack while you cut the rest of the mango!
How to Remove Cut Mango Chunks from the Peel
Knife Method
Carefully cut as close to the mango skin as possible using a knife. As you move the knife, the mango cubes should release from the skin and you can set them aside.
Spoon Method
Use a small spoon to carefully scrape and scoop as close to the mango skin as possible, releasing the mango cubes from the skin one by one and setting them aside.
Cup Method
Use a glass with a thin edge to gently scrape as close to the mango skin as possible, releasing the mango cubes one by one.
How to Store Mango
In the Fridge
Place the diced mango in an air-tight container and refrigerate it. The mango will keep for 5 days.
In the Freezer
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the mango chunks on it. Freeze the tray for at least 4 hours and then transfer the mango chunks to freezer-safe bags. Stick them back in the freezer, where the mango will keep for 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
They ripen a lot better at room temperature, that means keeping them away from the fridge until they’re ready. If your mangos are unripe, leave them on your kitchen counter for a couple of the days. If you’re in a rush to ripen them, wrap them in a paper bag and leave them out at room temperature. They should mature much quicker. Once they’re ready, you can store them in the fridge or use this tutorial to help you chop them and store them!
Mangos are available all year! That’s because some of them are cultivated in the U.S. and others of them are imported. If you’d like the Tommy Atkins variety though, you’ll find them in supermarkets from March to December.
Now that you’ve learned how to cut mangos, you can easily add them to anything you want! They have an incredible amount of vitamin C, so you’ll meet your daily requirement for the vitamin with just half a mango!
Other Cooking Tutorials
How to Thicken Spaghetti Sauce
Reheating Meatloaf(Tutorial)
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How To Cut Mango
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ripe firm mango
Instructions
- Wash your mango.
- Place the smaller, narrow end facing upward or downward on a cutting board. The mango should be standing up.
- Then, use a sharp knife to slice downward, cutting as near to the pit as possible. Repeat on the other side of the mango. You will end up with 2 halves and the middle part with the pit.
- Cut the two sides off the middle section from the top all the way down. You will have four pieces of the mango.
- Score the pulp with a sharp knife. Do not cut through the mango skin. Score it using a crosswise pattern. Then, use your fingers to hold on to opposite ends of the mango and gently try to invert it by folding it outward slightly. Once you do that, the mango cubes should be sticking out.
- Remove the mango from the skin with a knife, spoon or cup
- Using a knife: Carefully cut as close to the mango skin as possible using a knife. As you move the knife, the mango cubes should release from the skin and you can set them aside.
- Using a spoon: Use a small spoon to carefully scrape and scoop as close to the mango skin as possible, releasing the mango cubes from the skin one by one.
- Using a cup: Use a glass with a thin edge to gently scrape as close to the mango skin as possible, releasing the mango cubes one by one.
- Use the mango pieces for smoothie bowls, desserts or fruit salad immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Notes
Storage:
- In the fridge: Place the diced mango in an air-tight container and refrigerate it. The mango will keep for 5 days.
- In the freezer: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the mango chunks on it. Freeze the tray for at least 4 hours and then transfer the mango chunks to freezer-safe bags. Stick them back in the freezer, where the mango will keep for 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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